A man stands on top of a collapsed building in Bab al-Tabbaneh in Tripoli (North Lebanon), on Feb. 9, 2026. (Credit: Anwar Amro/AFP)
BEIRUT — Télé Liban’s chairwoman and CEO, Elissar Naddaf, announced on Tuesday the launch of a donation drive to support residents of Tripoli affected by the collapse of several residential buildings. The announcement was made during the evening news bulletin, which noted that journalist Walid Abboud’s program on Wednesday would be entirely devoted to the fundraising effort.
“It is our duty today to stand by our fellow citizens in Tripoli, who are our own,” Ms. Naddaf said. “This disaster has affected all of us, without exception. This initiative requires the solidarity and cooperation of all Lebanese.” Donations can be made by contacting Télé Liban at the following numbers: +961 1 786 923; +961 1 788 800; +961 1 788 801; +961 1 788 802; +961 1 788 803.
Information Minister Paul Morcos welcomed the initiative, stressing that Télé Liban’s board of directors fully embodies “the role of public media in the service of national and humanitarian causes.”
Earlier in the day, a delegation from Tripoli, received by President Joseph Aoun, issued an appeal for help following the collapse on Sunday of a building in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighborhood that killed 14 people, two weeks after a similar tragedy. The delegation denounced the “chronic marginalization of Tripoli” and renewed “an appeal for help, as the situation is critical and the scale of the disaster in the area is immense.”
Meanwhile, the president of Tripoli’s municipal council, Abdel Hamid Karimeh, announced the creation of an emergency fund aimed at reinforcing dilapidated buildings and conducting a comprehensive technical survey under the supervision of the Order of Engineers. The fund will be managed through clear transparency mechanisms by three specialized committees: governance, financing and technical oversight.
“We call on everyone who loves Tripoli, in Lebanon and abroad, to contribute in order to overcome this crisis and protect the city,” Mr. Karimeh added. He had announced on Sunday that he had submitted his resignation to the interior minister, saying the city was “disaster-stricken” and that the municipality lacked the means to deal with the risks posed by the very high number of cracked buildings — more than 100, according to the most recent municipal survey conducted in 2024. He later reversed on his decision.
'I will sleep in my home'
Nawaf Salam’s government decided on Monday, following an emergency meeting in response to the wave of building collapses in Tripoli, the capital of North Lebanon and the country's second-largest city, to order the evacuation of 114 at-risk buildings within a month, covering the housing costs for affected residents. Sunday's building collapse sparked a wave of anger and protests in the city Sunday night.
On Tuesday, Mr. Salam continued consultations with Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar, Social Development Minister Haneen Sayed, municipal council president Abdel Hamid Karimeh, Secretary General of the Higher Relief Council Bassam Naboulsi and the head of the Grand Serail’s Disaster Management Unit, Zahi Chahine, to monitor the implementation of the decisions.
In addition, an immediate evacuation order was issued on Tuesday by engineer Hussein Youssef of the Tripoli municipality to residents of the Kabbara building, located in the Qobbeh district of Tripoli, according to our correspondent in the region. However, some residents refused to evacuate the premises, despite the risk of collapse.
Faced with rising tensions between residents and authorities, the Internal Security Forces (ISF) called in riot police reinforcements to restore order in front of the building. In a video sent by our correspondent, a resident of the building, known as Abu Ali, says he refuses to sleep on the street. "I will sleep in my home even if they [the ISF] want to shoot me. We are not animals. Where is the state? Where are the MPs?" he exclaimed.
Rifi pledges 'to follow the case through to the end'
Tripoli MP Ashraf Rifi expressed Tuesday his "gratitude to President Aoun for his attention to Tripoli’s situation, and to Prime Minister Nawaf Salam for developing a government plan for the relocation and evacuation of buildings at risk of collapse," according to a statement.
He also thanked Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar and the Lebanese Army for maintaining stability and preventing security breaches.
"I will follow this case through to the end and will not shirk my responsibilities until security is guaranteed, those responsible are brought to justice, the tragedy is not repeated, Tripoli's dignity and that of its people are preserved, and promises are translated into swift and just action on the ground to protect citizens, restore trust in the state, and avoid any future negligence. I would also like to thank all those who worked to save the population from this tragedy," Rifi said in a statement.
